Category Archives: Beverley

Beverley Market Place Published by Green and son BeverlyBeverley Market Place Published by Green and son BeverlySt Mary’s Church Published by Green and son BeverlyBeverley Minster Published by Green and son BeverlyBeverley Minster SW Published by Green and son BeverlyBeverley Minster Published by Green and son BeverlyThe Old Fishwick Mill Beverley 1800 Publisher: E.Taylore Beverly

Medieval Beverley was a thriving town; take a step back into history and find the 39 unique sculptures depicting the Guilds and trades of the town. There were carpenters shipbuilders, jerkin makers, armourers, fullers, weavers dyers – to name just a few of the more unusual trades!

Find out where bakers were put in the ducking stool for selling poor bread, or find out where Butterdings is, you are sure to enjoy the trail. It was designed involving over 700 local school children.

One further note, don’t just look ahead, look up as many buildings have unusual roofs.

The project was organised by the Beverley and District Civic Society, Beverley Renaissance Partnership and East Riding of Yorkshire Council and has seen 22 replica paintings by the local artists Fred and Mary Elwell, displayed at various places in the town.

The idea behind the trail was to bring art out onto the streets to people who would not normally go into galleries.

To celebrate both the 300th anniversary of Beverley Market Cross and the succession of King George I in 1714, a number of events and performances are being organised. including re-enactments, period music, theatre, film, costume and cooking and a displays of Georgian properties on Heritage weekend

The Beverley Georgian Festival will run from Saturday 13th September until Sunday 21st September 2014.

All day car parking on the verges of the Westwood is increasing, some are even parking beyond the tree line. Whilst I understand that some of the cars belong to people using the common for recreational purposes, most of the cars are there all day. Parking is at a premium in Beverley, those working in Beverley must find the cost of parking a real drain on their pockets. What are your views on this unsightly problem?

This is the round robin letter sent to residents in the locality of the old Westwood Hospital site. It is attached as a PDF. The ‘significant disappointment’ comment was a pleasant surprise, it means that I will not need to camp out on a significant area of the common – with or without the permission of the Pasture Masters!

It would be a feather in the cap of Liveseys if they were to come forward with a plan to say thank you for putting up with us – on completion of the build. Ideas as to what the thank you could be would be welcome. For example, some proper dog poo waste bins, replacement of the picnic tables, some new benches, planting a few more trees to replace the ones they are taking out, paying for some much needed tree surgery on the mature trees to prolong their lives. I am sure there must be better/more ideas!

Beverley has four pastures, East and South East of the town, aligning the river Hull are the pastures of Figham and Swinemoor.To the East and South East of the town are the Westwood and Hurn in the form of one large pasture.

Burton Bushes abutting York Road is all that remains of what were once the extensive woodlands of the Westwood and Hurn. It naturally provided wood for building timber and heating, it also provided an excellent source of income when the Borough finances were low. Records show that St Mary’s Church was given four oaks to repair the building in 1520.

Chalk taken from the pasture was used for the foundation of Beverley’s streets and for making lime. The Corporation obtained a regular income from leasing out lime kilns on the Westwood until 1812. Clay was used for brick making by local brick makers, the North Bar in Beverley town is built with Beverley made bricks. The signs of this industry are still to be seen in the many hollows and pits that give the pasture its character.

Visitors to the Westwood will notice that there is a Golf Course and Race Course on the pasture; it is understood that the Golf course is quite challenging and popular with visitors. The Race meetings are attracting increasing interest and it hosts several events and festivals during the year.

The wellbeing of the pastures is overseen by the Pasture Masters, a group of men elected from the Freemen of Beverley each March. Although the Pasture Act of 1836 clarified the right of the Pasture Masters to administer and enforce their bylaws, it did not state who ‘owned’ the land. In 1978 the courts decided that the pastures were owned by the then Borough Council; it is now ‘owned’ by the East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Before about 1125, the parishioners would have had their own altar and Priest at the Minster. Between 1125 and 1150, it was decided to build St Mary’s as a Daughter church. At this time the church consisted of a chancel, nave and tower. The church would have been served by one of the Minster’s Canons or his deputy. The first Vicar was appointed in about 1263 and work resumed enlarging the church by the addition of transepts, aisle, clerestory and turreted West front.

On the 29th April 1520, the tower collapsed; it is thought that it fell onto the nave, killing a number of worshipers who were attending a Sunday service. In the following ten years the tower and nave were rebuilt, much of the work was paid for by the people of Beverley.

St Mary’s has a fascinating history, linked closely with the Guilds of Beverley. For information on the church in the community today please visit: ST Mary’s Beverley